Forester Bar and Chain

[woodworkingboy]

i find a good way to teach people about chain tightness is to tell them that they shouldn't be able to see a gap or the drive links and the chain should be able to be pulled easily around the bar. After you tell them that a number of times, it seems to become reasonably clear.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

So after 7 years ?............

 

[SkwerI]

i find a good way to teach people about chain tightness is to tell them that they shouldn't be able to see a gap or the drive links and the chain should be able to be pulled easily around the bar. After you tell them that a number of times, it seems to become reasonably clear.

"No sag, no drag"

 

[Forester Parts]

Hello, the bar you have is also the cheapest one Forester makes. It is the laminated bar designed to compete with big box store bars. I think you are more of a professional user with a bar that is more of a homeowner bar. I would like to upgrade you to one of the replaceable tip bars. They are much better. On a side note, I guess I am old school in that I still use a grease gun on the tip.

Here is the bottom line. The place you bought it may not stand behind it, but I am willing to make a long term customer out of you. Give me a call at 417-883-9811.

 

[Forester Parts]

I wish I had seen this faster so my post would be right under his......

 

[sawinredneck]

WOW! Now that is some service, I may have to start saying nicer things about Forester bars!

 

[Magnus]

Hello, the bar you have is also the cheapest one Forester makes. It is the laminated bar designed to compete with big box store bars. I think you are more of a professional user with a bar that is more of a homeowner bar. I would like to upgrade you to one of the replaceable tip bars. They are much better. On a side note, I guess I am old school in that I still use a grease gun on the tip.

Here is the bottom line. The place you bought it may not stand behind it, but I am willing to make a long term customer out of you. Give me a call at 417-883-9811.

Any chance one could get some info of these bars, perhaps a sneak peak in production and produkt lineup?

 

[emr]

I appreciate your offer help but I got it right from the source. I guess I figure you get what you pay for so I am just done with them. Too many problems with too many of their products.

 

[Cut4fun]

I have been trying out the forester brand copy's of the oregon powermatch bars on my bigger saws in 20" 24". Seem to wear just like the oregons. No complaints.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I have a couple of 16" that are doing fine thus far...
The chain on the other hand... Not all that thrilled about it,. But hey, it was cheap enough to try out...

 

[Al Smith]

I had one that went with the 034/036 when it got traded .I didn't have any problem with the bar .I'm not however real fond of the chain .

 

[Cut4fun]

So whats up with the chain guys? Is it to soft and wont stay sharp? Just wondering. I'm still buying rolls of oregon and stihl. But wondered if this stuff was good enough for firewood cutters.

 

[Al Smith]

I bought the stuff ,chain when Baileys had a sale on it a few years back .I just can't get it to cut like Oregon for some reason They might have changed the geometry on it by now for all I know .It was like a 2o" ,72 driver loop for a tad over 10 a pop .

To begin with I filed a 10 up like Oregon which made it worse . Then Frank,TW's dad told me it was straight across like Stihl which was better but still not as good .Fact being it was what was on the 038 Mag at the GTG which is why it cut terrible .Didn't pay any attention to the chain I stuck on it prior to departure

The way I run a saw which is rather easy handed I don't like to have to hook the dog and bear into it like it was a geardrive .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I file it straight across with ok results. Edge holds pretty good. Better than Oregon but shy of Carlton or Stihl.
The cutters do have a goofy angle to them though. They also get hung up in the Granberg on the starter side. They catch on the side of it.
The teeth looked poorly manufactured. Some warped and almost looking like missing a chunk.
Supposed to take a 7/32 file to sharpen and it won't fit first sharpen between the raker and tooth. So you start them with a 13/64ths.
Just little quirks ... and I have a thing about quirks.
It just seemed to me that the quality of the product was what turned me off. That and needing a file size out in the woods that I did not have at the ready after I had hiked in quite a ways.

 

[Al Smith]

Another thing ! I have one chain that for reasons unknown blowed the heel off of several cutters on the cut side .Usually they blow off the other side if at all .I didn't hit anything I knew of like a rock or iron .

They cut okay until the first time I filed them .Now damn it I know how to file a chain but evidently not that chain .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Took some pictures of a 16" B&C combo I bought 4 of. Try em out sorta thing. I will correct myself on my earlier post. I ended up needing to start the chain with a 13/64th round file before setting a 7/32nds after about 3 touch ups. That or file the cutting teeth back.
The bar I have on the 026 is holding up fine. I brush, thin and use this saw at the chipper. The bar and chain will take a beating in those environments in my world. You can see in the pics what I meant about the teeth are a tad rough cast. Whose chain is marked C1? Woodland Pro is marked A1 as I recall and it is re-badged Carlton?

 

[Cut4fun]

I just put a new 20" forester replaceable tip that looks just like a oregon powermatch copy on a partner 550. This guy is rough on saws and equipment and just a heavy firewood cutter year round.
This should tell me something about the bars from heavy use when it comes in for repairs etc.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I was considering trying out some of the larger bars with replaceable tip.... keep me informed please.